1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser of a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a dispenser of a refrigerator capable of easily dispensing water or ice regardless of the size of a vessel.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a refrigerator is divided into a freezing compartment for storing an icemaker and freezing items and a refrigerating compartment for receiving refrigerating items. The refrigerator is provided with a refrigerating cycle for performing a refrigerating cycle such as compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation therein. By an operation of the refrigerating cycle, inside of the refrigerator is maintained as a freezing state or a cooling state.
In such a refrigerator, a dispenser for supplying ice or water without opening a door is installed.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional refrigerator includes: a main body 10 in which a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment are separately provided; a door 20 respectively opening and closing the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment; a water supply pipe 30 to which water is supplied from the outside; a purifying filter 32 installed at the water supply pipe 30, for purifying supplied water; a water tank 40 in which water supplied thereto through the water supply pipe 30 is stored; an ice maker 50 disposed inside the main body 10, for making ice with the supplied water; a water supply valve 34 installed between the water tank 40 and the ice maker 50, for controlling the amount of water supplied to the water tank 40 and the ice maker 50; and a dispenser 70 installed at the door 20, for dispensing water.
As shown in FIG. 2, the dispenser 70 includes: a dispensing chamber 71 recessed in the door 20 to provide a space in which a vessel 78 for storing water is received, wherein an end of the water supply pipe 30 is disposed at an upper portion thereof; a control panel 73 installed at one side of the dispensing chamber 71 and having switches 72 for an operation of a user; and a drip tray 77 having a tray member 74 installed at the bottom of the dispensing chamber 71, supporting the vessel 78 and having a plurality of holes 75 and a receiving member 76 for receiving dripping water introduced thereto through the holes 75 of the tray member 74.
By the construction as above, when a user positions the vessel 78 in the dispensing chamber 71 and operates the switch 72, the water tank 40 is opened, and thus water is supplied through the water supply pipe 30 and then is stored in the vessel 80 in the dispensing chamber 71.
However, since the dispenser 70 of the refrigerator in accordance with the conventional art is formed such that the dispensing chamber 71 has prescribed vertical and horizontal widths, a vessel bigger than the width of the dispensing chamber 71 cannot be positioned inside the dispensing chamber 71. In order to solve this problem, the width of the dispensing chamber may be largely formed. But in this case, a storing space inside the refrigerator is reduced and as a result utilization of the internal space is limited. Besides, since a thickness of the door 20 is reduced, insulation effect of the refrigerator is deteriorated and power consumption is not also efficient.